For instance, I am a member of two forums that are dedicated to the wholesale and surplus supply industry. Reading through some of the posts by newbies and experienced buyers alike, there is always a never-ending quest to find a Chinese manufacturer of brand name merchandise. Consider the following reply to a post I made about importing brand name items from China..

Quote..

I am interested in your comment that the importation of even genuine product may be a problem. I've sourced a Chinese friend in Shenzhen who has contacts with a couple of factories that produce genuine Bape and Nike product. They will ship with paperwork.

End Quote..

Notice the operative phrase here. This individual refers to the fact that he has found a contact that can provide him with authentic Nike and Bape products from a factory in the Chinese province of Shenzhen. In Shenzhen, there is an enclosed shopping mall called Luohu Commercial City.

The mall is six stories tall and sells a wide range of items, including handbags, brand name clothes, shoes, audio-visual products, souvenirs, and digital video discs. All can be had for a price that is about one half to one third of what you would pay here in the United States. Some DVD’s can be purchased for four Hong Kong dollars, which translates to fifty cents in United States currency.

The biggest problem with all of the merchants selling their wares within this megaplex of retail activity is the undeniable fact that most of it is counterfeit. And, like the never ending parade of fakery that is part of the Luohu retail environment, finding your way to the authentic manufacturer or wholesale distributor of a particular branded item is like searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack.

The second part of the above mentioned post addresses another misconception that has been become incorporated into the lexicon of importing opinion. There is a prevailing wisdom among some brand seekers that receiving a certificate of authenticity from a brand name overseas manufacturer will provide assurance that the article is genuine.

Supplying paperwork to overseas customers as “proof of purchase” for branded merchandise is basically a fallacy. Any labels, tags, paperwork, or certificates of authenticity that assures the buyer of brand certainty can be faked right along with the product itself. The only individual or businesses that are in possession of “paperwork proof” are those who are the actual authorized reseller of branded merchandise.

Click here to go to part three of "Is It Legal To Import Brand
Name Merchandise From China" by Robert C. Potter”.